


Storytime (The Free Ride Remix)

by kanadka



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Campfires, M/M, Remix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-12 20:42:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20570582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kanadka/pseuds/kanadka
Summary: You can't really have movie night when there's no TV, but the boys make do.





	Storytime (The Free Ride Remix)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [catsinouterspace](https://archiveofourown.org/users/catsinouterspace/gifts).
  * Inspired by [I Really Like You](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20210221) by [catsinouterspace](https://archiveofourown.org/users/catsinouterspace/pseuds/catsinouterspace). 

You can't really have movie night when there's no TV, and there's no TV in the havens, which is where they are now. When they get to Lestallum, they might be able to do something about that, but the alternative is all four of them trying to squeeze around someone's cellphone, assuming it even has strong enough service to stream. (Though, Prompto will admit it, he likes the idea of being squished up so close to Noctis.)

So, anyway, you make do, and Ignis is the one who suggested stories. Prompto feels that's actually a pretty Ignis thing to suggest. Unfortunately, Ignis then suggests Prompto goes first, and then there's the weight of three pairs of eyes on him and he's all out of ideas for once.

"I dunno, guys," he says. "I'm not all that creative."

"You literally spend all your time taking pictures," says Gladio.

"Not _all_ my time! And anyway, that's different. Can't I just tell you the plot of Spirit: Chocobo of the Cimarrii and we call it a night?"

"We've all seen Spirit twelve times," says Noct.

"I haven't," says Ignis.

"You're missing nothing," says Gladio. He leans back in the chair and looks up at the night sky. "Iris was mad for it when she was about eight. I'll never get the Brynor Adamum soundtrack out of my head."

"I used to love those songs," says Prompto.

"Sing one bar and I'll throw a pillow in your face," warns Gladio. "They're all earworms."

"Actually," says Noct, "I might have a story. You can take my turn tomorrow." He gives Prompto a shy smile and Prompto's heart skips a beat or five.

"Does it involve chocobos?" Prompto asks.

There's silence, then a sigh. "Yes," says Noct dryly, "it involves chocobos."

"_Yess_," he replies. He aims for a hug but is too far and claps him on the shoulder instead. He scoots his chair closer to Noct. Next time. "Though to be fair, I would've paid attention even if it didn't."

"The things I do for you," Noct mutters, but it sounds fond and Prompto's cheeks warm at the thought.

Noct begins. "So the eighth king of Lucis was Lepidis the Tall, son of Crepera the Rogue Queen -"

"Oh, I know this one," says Ignis mildly.

"I know. You're the one who told it to me when I was seven. So don't spoil the ending. Crepera was not particularly well-liked in Lucis and thus tended to fade into the shadows. When her son was born, the realm insisted on him crowned before his adulthood with a regent appointed by the council, but the Queen Mother interceded and had the boy secured in a location far away. She said it was for his education. So Lepidis, an only child, gets sent away to Tenebrae and is super isolated -"

"Gee, I wonder why Ignis told you this story," says Gladio, sarcastic. "Specs, buddy, you're not subtle at all."

"I'll have you know there was a deeper meaning than the obvious," says Ignis.

"_Anyway_. Lepidis in Tenebrae soon develops his mother's talents in fading into the shadows, which is kind of hard to do when you're his size, he wasn't just tall, but large. So one day as he's stealing around and avoiding his governess and tutors he finds himself in the stables, and -"

"Yess," says Prompto.

"- and meets a chocobo. There, you happy? Lepidis was six, and this was his first time meeting such a creature, because by this time Insomnia had industrialised large enough that it was airships and vehicles; chocobos had become a suburban thing, outside of the races, but you didn't take a six-year-old to a chocobo race back then -"

"I absolutely would take a six-year-old to a chocobo race," says Prompto.

"Now, of course, one may," says Ignis, "now that the Lucians have bred the wildness out of them but in the time of Lepidis the Tall, it was different - one mustn't forget they have rather large beaks, and they were formerly more aggressive - which is exactly what shall happen to intrepid young Lepidis -"

"If I can tell the story, guys?" says Noct.

"Wasn't he the kid who was really big for his age?" says Gladio, wondering. "Like, _really_ big. Kid is his own shield, kinda big."

"Really?" asked Prompto. "'Cuz I was kinda picturing him as a skinny little guy. With dark hair and blue eyes."

"Yes so remember they did call him 'the Tall', as I've been saying since people are definitely listening to me," said Noct. "He was also heavy, which works in his favour, see, because the beast in question - also fairly heavy - perceives him as a peer instead of as a threat."

"If the chocobo is so heavy can we call him the chunkobo?"

There's another sigh. Prompto can feel the weight of Noct's gaze on him and looks over. Noct's grinning, but his eyes sparkle in the light of the fire. "So the chunkobo, only half-tame, bows, probably expecting Lepidis to climb on, but Lepidis has no idea what to do - so he reaches out and pats him on the beak."

"Aww," says Prompto. He melts further into his seat.

The story lapses into silence for a beat. When Prompto looks up, he finds Noct's eyes darting between him and Ignis, before Noct blurts out, "And so he makes his first friend ever - even though it's a chocobo, and they're kinda dumb, but power of friendship and all that. And he learns to ride it and in his later years he's the one who winds up bringing chocobo racing back inside the capital and kickstarts the pedigree program. And chunkobo and he have a long life together even though chocobos don't normally live that long but this one is special and everybody is happy. The end."

"I distinctly remember giving this story a different ending," says Ignis.

"Yeah, well, you told me Lepidis gets his hand bitten off and since he's a royal, the chocobo must be put to death because that's the law," says Noct.

"_No!_" says Prompto in a soft hush.

"_Yes_. I was seven and he told me that."

"I'm certain the chocobo was simply _worried_ because he'd lost track of his young charge," says Ignis, "even though he was young himself and reacted out of fear, lashing out at his new friend, who subsequently forgave him without the putting him to death portion, but it is important for a king to be aware there is always such a potentiality with his station."

"Okay, which one of us is the chocobo again," says Noct. "I lost track of the metaphor. And it wasn't even that deep, which I know because I was the one _telling the story_."

"In our hearts," says Prompto sagely, "we are all chocobo."

Gladio is stifling sniggers. "The most unbelievable part of that story isn't that Noct once tried to pet a chocobo," he says. "That part, I definitely believe. No, it's that newly-minted royal advisor Ignis, with all the authority of a nine-year-old, ever let you out of his sight for five minutes."

"Ignis had gotten lost in the library that day," says Ignis wryly. "Which never happened again."

"Huh. Guess that's probably why the bedtime story featured What Not To Do when meeting a chocobo," says Gladio.

"Well," Prompto decides. "Still don't feel sleepy yet. Anybody got another story?"

"I do," says Ignis. "The story of why you shouldn't get lost in a library, featuring a chocobo."

Noct groans and slouches in his chair. "You know what, let's just watch Spirit: Chocobo of the Cimarrii a thirteenth time."

"Oh, here we go," says Gladio.

Prompto beams. It's already up on his phone. "Cuddle close, my friends," he says, making a special spot for Noct at his side, "and hear ye the tale of Spirit set to the dulcet tones of Brynor Adamum ..."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Rei for the beta!! ❤️❤️


End file.
